Simon Peter – Fisher of Men

3. Discovering Christ

It could only have been a few weeks after the incident of Simon walking on the water that he made the historic declaration which changed his name and sealed his position as leader of the little band of disciples. They were at Caesarea Philippi, in the extreme north of the land and about as far away from Jerusalem as it was possible to get, but Jesus knew that within a few weeks He must go to Jerusalem and speak his message there. It was necessary that his disciples be made aware, more than they were at present aware, of the serious implications of their calling, of the opposition, persecution and suffering that was going to be entailed. It had been comparatively easy going so far: plenty of miracles with all the public acclaim which that evoked, and a generally favourable reception of those words of life which always accompanied the miracles. But things were going to change soon, and a deeper, more serious, faith was needed to withstand the trials which lay ahead.

So up there in the quiet and privacy of the mountains Jesus put two momentous questions. "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" (Matt.16:13 NIV) He asked, and waited quietly for his disciples’ reaction. They returned a variety of answers: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, one or another of the ancient prophets, risen from the dead to teach this generation. Jesus attached little importance to the answers. That question was only intended to lead their minds to the second and more important one. "But who do you say that I am?" (v.15 RSV) After two years’ association with him had they yet grasped the truth of his person, that He was indeed the Son of God, the one for whom Israel had waited for many centuries past? Had they realised that the day of sending prophets was past, that God was now moving into action to accomplish the redemption of humankind from sin and death, that the one whom they loved and served was more, far more, than a resurrected holy man from the past, that He was in fact the Son of God come to lead the world back to God? If these men were to constitute the spearhead of Jesus’ work in the world after He had returned to his Father, it was high time that they began to understand these things.

Simon, at least, did understand. His impetuous, questing mind, aided, we cannot doubt, by a sudden illumination of the Holy Spirit, saw all this in a flash. All the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. His Leader’s identity, his origin, his mission to Israel, his relation to the golden prophecies of olden time, came together in his mind and pointed to the answer. "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." (v.16 NIV) For the rest of his days that one irrefutable fact remained unshaken in Simon’s mind; through all the many changes of a long life spent in the Master’s service, adorned by triumphs and blemished by failures, he never lost sight of the revelation which came to him that day. Jesus, looking upon him, knew that his man was ready.

It was at this point that Simon received of the Lord his new name, Peter. There was a significance in the name. Simon’s native name, given at his birth, signified the hearing one, one who listens and accepts what is told him. That was true enough of Simon’s early discipleship; this forthright declaration at this crucial moment demonstrates how well he had heard. During all that time his character had been crystallising in the direction of the service which now was to be his life’s work, and Jesus knew that character to be rock hard and firmly set. So, He named him Peter, the rock petros means a piece of rock or a boulder. "Thou art a rock" He said "and on this rock I will build (found) my church (Gr. ecclesia)." (v.18 Diaglott) Whether Jesus used that word ecclesia to denote the little company of believers who were to look to Peter for leadership during the next decade or so, or the larger Church of this present Age which owes so much to Peter’s yeoman service during another thirty years of life, is not very important, for both are true. He probably meant the former; at any rate from this time forward Peter was the acknowledged leader of the disciples and the one who assumed the initiative after the Resurrection and by common consent was looked up to for guidance and counsel in those difficult yet halcyon days of the first‑generation Apostolic Church.

According to John’s Gospel, Jesus did use this expression, "Thou art a rock" prophetically, when He met Peter for the first time two years earlier. In that account He is recorded as using the Aramaic term for a piece of rock, kephas, instead of the Greek petros. (John 1:42) Paul uses the Aramaic word when referring to his brother‑Apostle in Corinthians and Galatians. Be this as it may, it seems definite that it was on the later occasion that the name was formally and definitely bestowed and put into use. Mark, who is the most careful of the Evangelists in matters such as this, refers to the Apostle always as Simon prior to the incident and Peter afterwards, with but one exception. At any rate, from this time onwards, both to the Apostolic Church, the Early Church and to the present, the impetuous Apostle is universally known and remembered by the name of Peter.

Six days later Peter, with James and John, received new and startling confirmation of their Lord’s Messiahship. Jesus had taken them "up into a high mountain;" most probably it was Mount Hermon, the highest mountain in Israel and not far from Caesarea Philippi. There, in quietude and privacy, away from the ever‑insistent crowds, they witnessed an amazing scene. Jesus "was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And…there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him." (Matt.17:2‑3) Stricken with awe, and somewhat terrified by the radiance of the vision, Peter nevertheless realised instantly that this was the fulfilment of Jesus’ words to his disciples a few days previously to the effect that some of their number would not see death before they had seen the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. There is not much doubt that he jumped to the conclusion that Jesus was here and now about to assert his Divine authority, take his rightful power, assume the position of king over Israel and inaugurate the long‑promised Messianic reign. The presence of Moses, Israel’s Lawgiver and greatest man, and Elijah of whom it had been predicted that he would return at the Day of the Lord, was further evidence. A Messianic kingdom without the presence of Moses and Elijah to lead the people to God as they had done in their respective lifetimes was inconceivable. So, Peter gave voice to the obvious suggestion which must have been in the hearts of all three disciples as they beheld. "Let’s make three tents here: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." (Matt.17:4 WEB) Without doubt he was already seeing himself as hastening down the mountainside to call the people to come into the presence of their King and hearing the shouts of acclamation as the reign of Messiah began. But just as in the days of Moses there had to be a "tent of meeting," a tabernacle, where Moses met with God to receive commands and talk with God on matters to do with the welfare of Israel (Exod.33:7‑10 & 34:29‑35), so it must be now. Peter remembered that Moses too had appeared radiant after being in the presence of God, so that he had to assume a veil to cover that glory except when he went in to talk with God. Now there must be three similar tabernacles for these three supernaturally radiant ones, before the people could be admitted to hear their voices and acclaim their king. Something like this, in a confused sort of way, must have possessed Peter’s mind. The Divine glory of Jesus, the resurrection glory of Moses and Elijah, must be veiled from mere human sight and the disciples themselves must be the ones to go between these three and the people, even as in those far‑off days of the Exodus Moses had been the go‑between for God and Israel. So, Peter’s thoughts ran riot in his exaltation at the great thing which was happening.

The radiant glory encompassed the disciples and they fell on their faces in reverence. The voice of God sounded in their ears; "This is my beloved Son…listen to him." (Matt 17:5 RSV) There was a silence... They looked up. The glorious vision was gone. There was no Moses, no Elijah, only Jesus as they had always known him. No kingdom, no reigning in power, no public acclaim, just three puzzled men following their Master down the mountainside and hearing his injunction to tell no man "until the Son of Man is risen again from the dead." (v.9) With that all their hopes of imminent regal glory withered and died.

Yet, of course, Peter and his companions had seen the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. They had witnessed a manifestation of that other worldly power, which is always there, behind the scenes, and will be outwardly revealed to all in the day of the world’s deliverance from sin and all evil. Moses and Elijah, with other ancient stalwarts of faith, will be there to administer earthly affairs in that blessed day. They really had experienced a preview of what Mark, in his version of the incident, describes as the kingdom of God come with power.

Peter never forgot that experience. It finally established his faith and coloured his thoughts and words for all time to come. Thirty‑five years later, nearing the end of a stressful life in the service of Christ, he recalled the wonder of that day. "We have not followed cunningly devised fables… but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount." (2 Pet.1:16‑18) There were yet to be times in his life when he faltered and vacillated. The weakness of the flesh temporarily overcoming the assurance of the Spirit, but basically his devotion to Christ was sound, and his faith proved true at the last.

AOH